Latch bolt unit



1963 E. 1.. SCHLAGE 3,107,112

LATCH BOLT UNIT Filed NOV. 7, 1960 zzvmvrox ERNEST 1.. SCHLAGE 'latchbolt or prior thereto.

United States Patent 3,107,112 LATCH BOLT UNIT Ernest L. Schlage,Hillsborough, Calif, assignor to S-chlage Lock Company, a corporationFiled Nov. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 67,621 3 Claims. (Cl. 292-192) Thisinvention relates to latch bolt units such as are used with knobactuated door locks or latch sets, and especially to a latch bolt wherethe effective throw or distance projected may be further increased by anex tendible member.

The object of the present invention is to provide a latch bolt whichwill be projected or retracted in the usual manner, but which carries anextendible member which is projected beyond the latch bolt duringprojection of the latch bolt, and is retracted substantially flush withthe latch bolt during retraction or prior to full retraction of thelatch bolt.

The latch bolt with its extendible member is shown by way ofillustration in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a horizontal longitudinal section of the latch bolt unitshowing the latch bolt and latch housing partly broken away, and

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the latch bolt and the retractor bar, withthe extendible member removed.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2,A indicates the housing of the latch bolt unit, B the latch bolt, C thefaceplate, D the retractor bar, and F the spring by which the latch boltis normally held in projected position. Formed in the forward end of thelatch bolt is a slot 2 in which is mounted an extendible member 3. Thismember is pivoted as shown at 4, and is extended by a spring 5 duringprojection of the latch bolt, and is retracted by means of a cam 6 whichengages the faceplate at the point 6a and the interior of the housing61; during retraction of the latch bolt.

A feature of the extendible member is that it is retracted flush withthe latch bolt during retract-ion of the For example, by referrring toFIG. 1, it will be noted that the cam 6 on the lower face of the pivotedmember engages the faceplate of the latch bolt unit the momentretraction of the latch bolt begins and thus swings the extendiblemember inwardly flush with the end of the latch bolt before the latchbolt is fully retracted.

The spacing between the faceplate of the latch bolt unit and the strikeplate which is mounted in the frame of a door opening should ordinarilynot be more than one- 3,1011 12 Patented Oct. 15, 1963 eighth of an inchif a door is properly hung or installed; but due to poor workmanship,shrinking of the door, warping of the door frame or settling of abuilding, the spacing may even exceed three-eighths of an inch, and asmost latch bolts have a throw of only three-eighths of an inch whenfully projected, the latch bolt would be ineffective and the door mightswing open, but by providing the extendible member, a spacingapproximately one-half of an inch could be tolerated without theextendible member of the latch bolt releasing its hold in the strikeplate.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a latch bolt unit, a housing, a latch bolt mounted therein andadapted to be projected or retracted with relation to the housing, anextendible member carried by the latch bolt and extendible beyond theouter end of the latch bolt, spring actuated means for extending saidmember with relation to the latch bolt during projection of the latchbolt and a cam on the extendible member engageable with the outer end ofthe housing for retracting said member during retraction of the latchbolt.

2. In a latch bolt unit, a housing, a latch bolt mounted therein andadapted to be projected or retracted with relation to the housing, anextendible member pivotally mounted on the latch bolt and movable inunison therewith, a spring engageable with said member and causing it toswing about its pivot to an extended position beyond the outer end ofthe latch bolt during projection of the latch bolt, and other means forswinging said member in a reverse direction to cause retraction thereofduring retraction of the latch bolt.

3. In a latch bolt unit, a housing, a latch bolt mounted therein andadapted to be projected or retracted with relation to the housing, anextendible member pivotally mounted on the latch bolt and movable inunison therewith, a spring engageable with said member and causing it toswing about its pivot to an extended position beyond the outer end ofthe latch bolt during projection of the latch bolt, and a cam engageable \m'th the pivoted member to reverse its swinging movement andcause retraction thereof during retraction of the latch bolt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,243,596 Elwell 'Oct. 16, 1917 1,280,339 Waing Oct. 1, 1918 2,107,300Kilpatrick Feb. 8, 1938 2,181,762 Milligan Nov. 28, 1939 2,350,306 SpainMay 30, 194.4 2,668,073 Collar et al. Feb. 2, 1954

1. IN A LATCH BOLT UNIT, A HOUSING, A LATCH BOLT MOUNTED THEREIN ANDADAPTED TO BE PROJECTED OR RETRACTED WITH RELATION TO THE HOUSING, ANEXTENDING MEMBER CARRIED BY THE LATCH BOLT AND EXTENDIBLE BEYOND THEOUTER END OF THE LATCH BOLT, SPRING ACTUATED MEANS FOR EXTENDING SAIDMEMBER WITH RELATION TO THE LATCH BOLT DURING PROJECTION OF THE LATCHBOLT AND A CAM ON THE EXTENDIBLE MEMBER ENGAGEABLE WITH THE OUTER END OFTHE HOUSING FOR RETRACTING SAID MEMBER DURING RETRACTION OF THE LATCHBOLT.